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Microlise stood out for us not only from a point of view of functionality but also in terms of the way they wanted to operate and really understanding our requirements, cost effectiveness and ultimately the service that is being provided. Without doubt the Microlise ePOD product is intuitive – we have achieved a 98% adoption rate in a short time.

THE CHALLENGE

Until recently, all businesses within the Travis Perkins group had a very manual process when it came to deliveries. With a reliance on paper-based processes they wanted to find a more efficient, easier way of providing a signature to customers in an electronic format, whilst boosting safety and improving delivery accuracy and giving drivers the tools they need.

THE APPROACH

With Microlise electronic Proof of Delivery, Travis Perkins drivers now have a handheld terminal and when they go to site, they get customers to sign on screen. That captures the customer signature which can then be emailed across to the customer or stored for customer facing personnel to easily access. So far, more than 2,100 devices have been deployed for Travis Perkins drivers across the group.

There are a number of additional features delivered by the product including safety checks, performed via the handheld in cab device. The drivers receive their consignment manifest after daily safety checks have been made at the beginning
of each shift, cutting out any possibility of any element of the checks being overlooked.

Travis Perkins also has satellite navigation, linked directly to the day’s delivery schedule, through Microlise ePOD.

The Result

With a 98% adoption rate among drivers within a short time frame, both the hardware and software involved with the project have shown themselves to be simple to use. Travis Perkins opted for Zebra Technologies’ TC55 pocket-sized Android rugged mobile computer for their drivers, however Microlise ePOD can be operated across various platforms, including on the Microlise DriveTab ruggedised tablet.

Travis Perkins has been supplying the building and construction trades for more than 200 years. It is a builders’ merchant and retailer operating a nationwide network of stores and warehouses to keep tradesmen and home improvers supplied with building equipment and tools.

But beyond this, the company also operates 21 distinct businesses in the UK and owns 19 separate brands which deliver all kinds of building materials for the construction trade.

Brands including Wickes, Benchmarx, Tile Giant, BSS, PTS, City Plumbing Supplies, Tool Station, Keyline, CCF and Insulation Giant deliver to every corner of the United Kingdom.

The Microlise ePOD solution has helped Travis Perkins to move towards a paperless delivery operation, whilst improving the processes involved in managing delivery and collection. This has been achieved by providing a simple and intuitive way of tracking activity, managing tasks and communicating with drivers.

Microlise ePOD also enables drivers to take photographs of the drop which is being carried out. This can be used for many reasons, such as proving where the drop has been made, identifying restrictions on site, or documenting other important aspects of the delivery process and boosting delivery accuracy. This documentation is then automatically stored in a location which can be accessed by drivers out in the field and office staff who are managing customer inquiries.

With this technology in the cab and in the pocket, drivers now have sign-on glass, barcode scanning and image capture functionality at their fingertips to improve delivery accuracy and reduce administration overheads.

“It’s a really exciting future in terms of where this can go. We can’t speak highly enough about what Microlise has done as partners for us. To be able to sit there and say to a customer, everything you have ordered, we’ll deliver by 10 o’clock and actually deliver that... fantastic,” finished CEO Frank Elkins.

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Microlise stood out for us not only from a point of view of functionality but also in terms of the way they wanted to operate and really understanding our requirements, cost effectiveness and ultimately the service that is being provided. Without doubt the Microlise ePOD product is intuitive – we have achieved a 98% adoption rate in a short time.